Grand Hotel Besson

8/10

Excellent

22 Oct 2025

Christine

Breakast is served on a balcony overlooking a garden and Mountain View. Spectacular. Combination of amazing Italian buffet items and Ala carte menu items. Fantastic array of juices and fruit. Really great.
Location is specular, practically built into the Antico Teatro and shopping district.
Rooms and balconies vary even within room types since it is a restored hotel. Some are great and some are just decent.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Sep 2025

Gerhard

If there was a rating higher than excellent my wife and I would select it for all categories!! The property location was second to none, and the envy of the thousands of tourists passing by the luxurious front gate and vine covered portico. The staff anticipated every need and request and attended immediately to any comment or request. Food was exceptional thanks no doubt to the Michelin rated chef. Appointments in the rooms were second to none. The staff, from the valet to the front desk, to the waiters, to housekeeping, and the managers all made us feel welcome and like family. They greet you with your name and recall any inquiries about seeing a sight, or stores you might visit. The history and pedigree of the Grand Timeo added to the ambience and special atmosphere of this unique treasure. Put it on your bucket list!!! Will be viewing all Belmond properties before booking any other hotel. Words cannot express our pleasure and satisfaction.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jul 2025

Shawn

Unbelievable property, service and rooms. We spent 3 nights at Hotel Timeo and despite being in beautiful Taormina we didnt want to leave the property! Huge perk is the access (beach or otherwise) to their sister property on the water - Belmond Saint Andrea - they treat you as if your one of theirs. Hands down the best Hotel in Taormina ( even better then FS )

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jul 2025

Paul

This was my first time staying at the Grand Timeo even though I’ve had dinner and drinks there before. The experience exceeded my expectations. The property is one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve seen with idyllic terraced gardens that are practically a botanical garden. The restaurants and Timeo bar all have views of the garden, the sea, and the town - which make you want to stay there for hours on end. We had several meals at the Timeo restaurant as well as the Timeo Grill located in the garden - all great meals. We loved the amenities in the room and bathroom, including the welcome platter of fruits and chocolates and the additional goodies left during turndown service. The staff were all very helpful and friendly - and did everything to make our stay truly special. I can’t wait to return.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Nov 2024

Jean

Short stay in Taormina

Could not ask for better service food attention to details was par excellence
Head concierge Santi and Julia were outstanding as was Christina as well
I would rate my stay a 10/10

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Nov 2024

Gulzhamal

❤️

10/10

Exceptional

05 Nov 2024

Kevin Douglas

Fantastic views from the windows, beautiful gardens, very walkable, glad we didn’t have to drive as the streets are tiny and pedestrians everywhere. Staff very attentive but not intrusive.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Oct 2024

Jeffrey

Amazing

Amazing!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2024

Germaine

We had an amazing time at this lovely hotel! Service was amazing and room were beautiful and comfortable. Location could not be beat within walking distance to everthing. Please don’t miss the APO tour of the town - the guides were excellent. I hope we will come back to this paradise!!

10/10

Exceptional

21 Sep 2024

Verified traveler

Fabulous stay with one of the best locations in Taormina. Staff fantastic, wouldn’t change a thing.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Aug 2024

Sarah

Amazing service and grounds

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jul 2024

Irene

Love it

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jul 2024

Irene

It is beautiful great service

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2024

Sam

One of the nicest hotels we ever stayed in. Luxurious, great views, next to the Greek amphitheater. In the fairy tale town of Taormina.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2024

Stephanie

The staff was unbelievable and the hotel itself is absolutely beautiful. It's in the perfect place in Taormina, close to the main shopping street and restaurants. The views of Etna are absolutely stunning. Love this hotel!

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2024

Verified traveler

Beautiful

Beautiful property, staff, service.
Everyone so friendly and welcoming.
We only ate in the bar as the restaurant menus did not appeal - food and drink were good here but rather over-priced.
Amazing views of the sea, coastline and mount Etna.
Great to have a heated swimming pool, although it was closed until 10am so disappointed we couldn’t have a pre-breakfast swim.
Very enjoyable stay overall.
Thankyou to all the wonderful staff!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Apr 2024

Anat

Amazing property; excellent service; couldn’t ask for more

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Mar 2024

Rebecca

Belmond Taormina highly recommend

We really enjoyed our stay here. The staff was extremely accommodating and pleasant. I would highly recommend.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jan 2024

Deborah

This property should be ranked 10 as far as we are concerned. The staff went over and beyond. We hated leaving them. The property was exceptional and all you would expect from a five star hotel. There is nothing we could have done to improve our stay. They even had little going away gifts forus. We loved it

Business_and_leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2023

Winston

Staff go above and beyond to assist guests with kindness!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jun 2023

Daniel

Great Spot in Taormina!

Everything was wonderful! The location, the restaurants, the staff, the pool, the beach club, etc.. It was exactly what we were looking for. Valentina and Anya in the Grille are enough to make us want to come back tomorrow!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Dec 2022

Claire

Wow this hotel is amazing! Beautiful location, fantastic attentive service, the views are wonderful. Can't fault it at all.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Nov 2022

Joy

The Best Place to Stay in Sicily

Grand Hotel Timeo is sensational. Belmond Hotel group is like no other. The service, rooms, attention to details. The upgrade to a nicer room. Location, historic building, and events such as painting with a local artist. The staff are absolutely wonderful and knew our name with a lovely greeting each time we walked in the lobby. I am so grateful for the opportunity to stay and have this delightful experience. Dream come true.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jul 2022

Jonatan

Everything was great, just perfect! Had pretty high expectations for the hotel, because of their reputation and the price, but those expectations were exceeded in every way. The best hotel we ever visited.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jul 2022

Matthew

This hotel is five star plus. Nothing at all to say but I’m in heaven.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jun 2022

Neil

Views of the sea, town and Etna from private balcony are spectacular. Spacious rooms. Concierge Santi could not have been more helpful.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 May 2022

annette

What a beautiful view the staff all spoke English and were very accommodating. Service and dinner was a little slow but the food was excellent. I would definitely stay there again. I did visit their sister hotel on the beach but prefer this one.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2022

Alan

Stunning

Our superior room with balcony and sea view, in the Villa Flora annex, was delightful. Note, the balcony and view in these top floor rooms are six steps up from the main room.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Apr 2022

Luis

This is one of the most beautiful hotels that my wife and I have ever stayed at in Europe, arguably in the world. The Belmond staff, grounds and attention to overall detail was impeccable. All this while making you feel relaxed and not uptight. Truly world-class experience and would highly recommend staying here and there other properties around the world.

Business_and_leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Apr 2022

joseph

It doesn’t get much better then this. Tops in every category

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Nov 2021

Margaret

Wonderful location and first class service

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

15 Sep 2020

Verified traveler

The Michelin Starr restaurant was a huge disappointment
Over salted. Over cooked tuna. We had

10/10

Exceptional

04 Sep 2020

David

Stay here!!! Pay the money, it’s worth it.

Outstanding, one the best experiences I’ve had in Sicily. The views are amazing. Can only comment on Junior suite though!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jul 2020

Verified traveler

Best hotel in Taormina

Hotel was amazing. Loved every minute of our stay there. Hotel staff are so passionate and helpful. Great breakfast and service. Highly recommend this hotel. We will be back.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jul 2020

Rosalie

The hotel is AMAZING. The view of our suite to see Mt. Etna was breathtaking every morning. Breakfast in our suite every morning was delicious. But you must have a room with the view of the volcano. We did not even travel anywhere else we just stayed in Taormina at the hotel the entire time. My maiden name is Taormina and I just wanted to experience and was the trip of a lifte time to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary and hopefully we would love to go back.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Nov 2019

Sukhmandeep

My wife and I stayed here for the first nights of our honeymoon and it was an amazing experience. We initially had a minor hiccough as we were informed the property had been booked for our 3rd night and we were unable to stay. The hotel apologized for the inconvenience and ensured our stay was extra special to make up for the mistake. The check in process was smooth and we were given a brief tour of the room and property. The hotel has been decorated beautifully and we enjoyed exploring the expansive gardens. The view over of Taormina, the ocean and of course Mt Etna is breathtaking. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner in the restaurant and breakfast each morning on the terrace was refreshing with a great variety of food. The service was polite and unintrusive and the amenities were luxurious.
My wife and I thought it was the dream start to our honeymoon and are looking forward to returning one day. It was also our first stay at Belmond and we are eager to stay at other properties in the future.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Nov 2019

Verified traveler

The service was impeccable, the facility was superb and food delicious. However, the best part was the unbelievable view.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Nov 2019

John

Thank you Hotel Timeo! One of the very best.

If you can, you must stay at this hotel once in your lifetime! Taormina is a fabulous town and Hotel TImeo is the hotel with the best service we have ever experienced. Every person who works in the hotel industry should learn there service skills here. We called the day before we arrived and Benedetto arranged a lunch at A Michelin Star Restaurant and the wonderful tour guide Antonella. Simona was wonderful at check in and uograded us to a lovely room with a view of the water and Mt Etna. The room was relatively simple but the balcony view was the best. I do suggest lighting options in the bathroom that aid the enjoyment of a bath at night. Only glaring lights are possible. Also the full length mirror was on the wrong closet door making it virtually unusable. Clearly women are not designers of hotel rooms - they should be. When we called down to the front desk to ask them to print a couple of prescriptions they not only did it but they arranged to have the prescriptions filled and they collected them - all without being asked to - Davide did this as well as helped us navigate our car to the hotel. If you want to get away and be in a beautiful place come here! We were here in early November - the off season so we can only imagine how busy the town and this hotel is in the summer, but it truly a gem and since a huge part of a place is the people we couldn't recommend this one enough. It is on our short list of places to come back to - and we will.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Oct 2019

Phil

This is truly a deluxe hotel. Staff is extremely helpful, location and amenities are top rated.
Best hotel stay of our 2 week trip to Italy.
Phil M

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2019

Zsolt Bencsik

Pure Excellence

This place is pure excellence! Their customer service is exceptional. The staff is professional and attentive. Additionally, the views from Terrace Bar and the Executive Suite is amazing.
It was great that we could go to both hotels via a free shuttle bus. This allowed us to have wonderful variety.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Sep 2019

AaronThompson

From the moment we arrived the staff treated us like family. We were so impressed with their ability to know who we were at almost anytime or anywhere. Views from Taormina are obviously gorgeous, but the touristy nature of the town is very present. The Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo is a reprieve from that hustle and bustle. I can say honestly its worth every Euro. We're now eager to try other Belmond experiences!

Business_and_leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

The property is clean and safe and the staff are helpful and knowledgeable.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

26 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

good

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 Aug 2019

debbie

Absolutely perfect from start to finish . Amazing hotel , superb location , attention to the finest detail and a gorgeous bottle of fizz and strawberries to welcome us all back as a returning customer . Thank you for a truly memorable holiday 😃Xx

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

Ideal location. Magnificent views on the bay and Etna

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2019

Johannes

Fantastic stay!!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

The Grand Hotel Timeo is a beautiful place to stay, the staff are charming and attentive, the service is excellent and the position in Taormina very well placed for excellent views across the bay and towards Etna.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

The property was absolutely stunning. Loved the views of Etna, pool and the gardens were spectacular!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Jun 2019

Verified traveler

A beautiful hotel with stunning views, Everything was perfect

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2019

Brent

One of the nicest hotels I have stayed at (including Four Seasons, Ritz, Mandarin Oriental etc). Incredible view of the ocean and Mt. Etna. Beautiful hotel grounds. Extremely attentive staff. Superb location in the city of Taormina (right next to entrance of the Greco-Roman Theatre). For a \"splurge\" hotel, well worth the money.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2019

Verified traveler

A stunning, charming hotel in a beautiful setting

Just an amazing hotel. From the minute we arrived it was magical. All the staff are fantastic and the hotel is stunningly beautiful. The little extra touches (upgrade and bottle of Prosecco for my mums 60th) were much appreciated. We enjoyed an amazing breakfast on the terrace each morning which had the most incredible views of Taormina town; the Ionian Sea and mount etna in the background. A most wonderful hotel! The only downside is that it is so awfully expensive for absolutely everything - €44 per night to park the car; €13 for a cup of tea; g&t extortionate and while most of breakfast was included it cost €20 extra for a lot of breakfast items which was a bit disappointing. It was also €20 per room tourist tax on check out etc

Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Apr 2019

Verified traveler

We have enjoyed our trip to Sicily and it was made special by the exceptional team that runs this beautifully located hotel high up next to the Greek theatre with amazing views of the Mediterranean sea. The hotel has a great restaurant, our stay was short and we wished it was longer so that we could continue to sample all the wonderful dishes on the menu.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Mar 2019

Lucinyc

BREATHTAKING
Staff is amazing
Food is delicious
Service is excellence
Location is perfect
The view is breathtaking
Rooms are great
Worthy every cent
One of the best hotels I have ever stayed in my life
Top !

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Sep 2018

Jerry

Amazing

This is one of our favorite places.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Sep 2018

Doug

Great hotel with a stunning view in a perfect location!

10/10

Exceptional

24 Sep 2018

Verified traveler

Don’t miss it!

Best hotel ever! Amazingly attentive staff, beautiful room, excellent food and breathtaking views.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Aug 2018

Cathleen

Taormina

Our stay at the Belmond was exceptional! The views were amazing the service was impeccable and the food was delicious. We really enjoyed the terrace bar with the live pianist. We celebrated our friends birthday one of the nights there and they went above and beyond to make it extra special for him. Would definitely recommend this hotel and give it a five star out of five stars. Will return on my next trip to Taormina!

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

02 Aug 2018

Verified traveler

A beautiful hotel with stunning views

The hotel is beautiful, exactly what you would expect from a Belmond property. The views are just stunning.

Along with the views, the best feature of the hotel is probably it's location, right next to the Greek theatre and a short walk from all that Taormina has to offer.

We stayed in the Villa Flora which lacked the personality of the main building but that doesn't mean the rooms were not excellent. It was however, a little frustrating at times to have to battle through the queues to the amphitheatre to get to the main part of the hotel.

We took advantage of the free shuttle bus to visit the beachside property and the complimentary boat tour but whilst this was lovely we much preferred the Timeo.

I would highly recommend this hotel and we will certainly return.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Jul 2018

Krishan

Amazing location and phenomenal service

Fantastic view from main terrace. Rooms very comfortable and a very high level of service. Would highly recommend! Always make a request for a room on a high floor for the best views

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 Jul 2018

Chris

Impressive hotel and oasis of calm i

A superb luxury hotel high on a hill in the wonderful town of Taormina Sicily.
Large and spacious room with sea view
Imposing terrace with bar and restaurant overlooking Mt Etna and Naxos. Excellent facilities including fitness centre and open air pool.
The only disappointment was the main course of our evening meal. Otherwise a memorable stay.

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2018

Susie

We couldn't fault this beautiful hotel. The level of service is outstanding.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

Beautiful hotel with a lovely site

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Apr 2018

Bruce

A Plus Hotel

The best hotel my wife and I have stayed at. The morning breakfast on the terrace overlooking the bay was fantastic. The food and service was excellent. Hope to visit this hotel again. Blw

10/10

Exceptional

20 Sep 2017

Verified traveler

Not such a good view from my room
To close to the stairs
Lot of traffic

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2017

Verified traveler

Amazing traditional style hotel, a return to a golden age.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Sep 2017

Verified traveler

Sublime hotel

Everything a hotel of this class should be, and a bit more. For example, every member of staff do their utmost to remember your name after one encounter - it makes you feel welcome and valued.

8/10

Excellent

10 Sep 2017

souss

Romantic stay !!!

Beautiful property in Taormina village . Nice pool area . Good service . You can even use the beach at their other property which is great . Free shuttle between the two properties . Wonderful stay .

10/10

Exceptional

07 Sep 2017

Verified traveler

Perfect in every way

Situated in the most stunning location with one of the best views we've ever seen. The rooms are beautifully decorated and the staff cannot do enough for you. Worth every penny.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jul 2017

Sandra

Elegant, Refined Hotel

Beautifully appointed room. Probably the most beautfiul hotel experience in my life. Everyone should have one once. With no detail left unnoticed.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

Excellent location to see a concert next door. Eddie Vedder steps away!

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2017

Maureen

Taormina 5 star

Fabulous 5 star hotel in a stellar location. Incredible breakfast on an outdoor patio with a 180 degree view over the Med. Expensive but worth it for accomadations and breakfast. Do not recommend dinner -- very expensive for mediocre food. Much better dinner options in town.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 Apr 2017

Terence

Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo - The Cogans

We thought we would treat ourselves to this hotel as it was our 40th Wedding Anniversary and we weren't disappointed! We were treated like film stars from the moment we arrived until we left in the morning. The room was wonderful and it was nice find it warm to start with. We could not find fault with it at all. Very peaceful & quiet - no dripping taps, no noisy air con or neighbours. Luxurious surroundings. A wonderful view of Mount Etna. This is the place to go if you want to be spoilt!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Nov 2016

Abdulrahman

simply perfect

relaxing

8/10

Excellent

14 Aug 2016

older family

Summer holidays

Mid sized, beautiful gardens & views, fabulous location in historic town with lots of places to eat out. If you want the beach, you can use the sister hotel (lots use morning, return to hotel pool afternoon). Better for older families (12+), couples & weddings/biz meetings (function rooms top notch, slightly apart hotel).

10/10

Exceptional

04 Aug 2016

Verified traveler

Excellent, well located hotel

Rooms, location, service and breakfast were all excellent. The only disappointment was service at the outdoor terrace bar did not equal the high level of service elsewhere at the hotel.